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Mini plans to debut an electric version of the three-door Cooper in a relatively short period of time, to add to gas, diesel and hybrid flavors. (Current generation gas model shown). Photo by Autoweek

All-electric Mini Cooper coming in 2019

Parent company BMW confirms electric three-door along with wide U.S. availability

July 26, 2017

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An electric version of the Mini Cooper -- the model you thought already existed but does not -- will go on sale in 2019, corporate parent BMW announced this week. The pure-electric three-door hatch will join gas, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions in the range, with BMW planning to build the electric drivetrain at the BMW Group’s e-mobility center at Plants Dingolfing and Landshut in Bavaria, then ship the assembly to the main U.K. plant that churns out other Minis. It sounds like the three-door hardtop version will be the sole electric Mini variant, as the company made no mention of an electric five-door model.

BMW has not hinted at any specs for this upcoming model, nor has it confirmed whether it will be offered with a gasoline range-extender like the i3. But given what BMW has hinted about the i NEXT, an all-electric autonomous car that will debut under its i brand in 2021 with a range of over 311 miles, the electric Mini Cooper may have a similar range on a full charge. With the 300-mile mark quickly becoming the industry standard, it's difficult to imagine a lesser range for an EV in 2019.

Curiously enough, this won't be the first electric Mini Cooper: BMW experimented with a small fleet of electric Minis in 2009, swapping out the back seat for a 35-kWh battery that gave it a range of about 100 miles. The 201-hp Mini E was offered as a leased vehicle in several metropolitan areas in the U.S., but the project was more of an experiment rather than a full effort to mass-produce an electric Mini Cooper.

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